Nava’s one hot number

Unheralded outfielder continues to impress

John Tomase, Red Sox NotebookSunday, June 09, 2013

Credit: Christopher Evans

Daniel Nava

If you had a choice between Albert Pujols and Daniel Nava this year, it wouldn’t even be a choice.Nava all the way.The unheralded Red Sox outfielder continued his breakout season against the Angels yesterday, going 4-for-8 with his 39th RBI while raising his OPS to .878 in a doubleheader split with the Angels yesterday. Both numbers rank him among the top 25 hitters in all of baseball — well ahead of the scuffling Pujols.“Every time he gets up there, you know you’re going to get a professional at-bat,” said Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. “He knows what he’s doing. All of our guys do, but Nav, he never strays from the strike zone. Always a quality at-bat. You know what you’re going to get. That’s comforting.”Yesterday’s opener ended with Nava on deck as the tying run after a two-out, three-run rally. The Sox would’ve liked nothing more than to see him step to the plate.“Anytime you can get up as the tying run, it would’ve been huge,” Nava said. “But for us just to bring it back from where it was obviously is important.”As for his own torrid start amid humble beginnings, Nava deflects the attention.“I don’t look at numbers. I don’t care about numbers,” he said. “I sincerely mean this: I really don’t think about that. With the lineup we have, it’s a number of guys contributing. I’m glad to be a part of it. It goes without saying that you can’t drive anyone in if there’s no one on base, unless you hit a home run every time, which is not happening.“Obviously I’m glad I’m contributing, but I think we’ve talked enough to know that’s not what I’m about. We didn’t get the first one today, let’s get the second and stay on top of the AL East. That’s what’s most important.”Nava’s story is rapidly becoming well known, the former college team manager turned walk-on turned independent leaguer the Red Sox bought for a dollar before a meteoric rise through the system in his late 20s.“It just goes to show — he’s a baseball player,” Pedroia said. “He’s done it his whole life. It just took some time for people to recognize it. It’s pretty awesome.”Victorino returns

Fresh off just one rehab game, outfielder Shane Victorino was activated in time for the nightcap and started in center.Victorino had been sidelined since May 20 with a sore hamstring. He immediately put it to the test in the first by scoring from first on a Jonny Gomes double and then remaining on his hands and knees at home plate after feeling his hamstring grab on him around third.Fortunately, he felt strong enough to remain in the game and contributed a pair of outstanding running catches in center in place of Jacoby Ellsbury.“We got a quick test right out of the gate in the first inning, obviously going first to home on that double,” Victorino said. “I felt it a little bit there, but maybe it’s just me consciously finally getting the chance to go first to home and really accelerating, but it didn’t really hamper me the rest of the game.”Draft bits

The Red Sox made their final 30 selections of the draft, including third baseman Nick Zammarelli from Lincoln (Senior High School), R.I. The Sox also selected Ryan Lidge, the cousin of former All-Star closer Brad Lidge, with their final pick, in the 40th round.Their most interesting selection might have been University of Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel, who hasn’t played baseball since high school and admitted on Twitter, “Got drafted by the Red Sox today. Did not see that coming.”The 6-foot-4, 237-pounder threw 12 touchdowns this season while leading the Gators to an 11-2 record and berth in the Sugar Bowl, where he threw a TD and two interceptions in a 33-23 loss to Louisville.Driskel, who is an NFL prospect, is unlikely to play baseball, but the Sox considered him worth a flyer.One other local connection — the Orioles picked Vanderbilt catcher Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of legendary outfielder Carl, in the 14th round.Junior achievement

Jackie Bradley Jr. was sent to Triple A Pawtucket between games to make room for Victorino. He talked about the difference between this visit, during which he hit .238 with a home run, and his first one, which ended with an .097 batting average: “It’s an improvement. I’m getting better.” . . .Pedroia and third baseman Jose Iglesias each recorded hits in both games to extend their hitting streaks to 12 games apiece. . . .Ellsbury became the first Red Sox player since Rick Burleson in 1980 to lead off six straight games by reaching base. He also stole his league-leading 22nd and 23rd bases. . . .Mike Carp went 3-for-5 in the opener with a home run and is hitting .382 in his last 11 games. . . .Gomes now has two straight multi-hit games.